This invention relates to a device suited for displaying a plurality of jewelry articles, such as earrings, mounted on cards and the like. The invention is more particularly directed to a display device having spaced upright members between which a plurality of rods are supported so that such card mounted jewelry articles may be supported therefrom by means of a rearwardly extending generally U-shaped hanger.
Such display cases or racks are generally known and include a plurality of such article supports in tiered form. Although they form a convenient manner for the display of such jewelry articles, it also places such in a position susceptible to theft since the cards on which the articles are mounted can be quite readily removed therefrom without much effort by a potential pilferer or purchaser. This is especially so since displays of this type are often subject to minimal supervision by sales personnel.
Attempts have been made to overcome such problems by the formation of display cases in which the manner by which the articles may be removed therefrom is not immediately obvious to the prospective customer. Such attempts include devices which are substantially complex in operation and accordingly may present operational problems to sales personnel as well. It accordingly would be desirable to provide a device of this general type wherein the articles may be readily viewed by prospective customers, their removal not too difficult from the standpoint of sales personnel, and further having some unobvious alarm means activatable upon any attempted unauthorized removal of the articles supported thereby. Of general interest with regard to devices which utilize alarms in connection with display cases and the like are the following U.S. Pat. No. 460,019 to Kruschke and No. 1,765,225 to Ferris.
The patent to Kruschke shows a display having resilient holders for finger rings and the like wherein the opposite arms of the holders are held in spaced relation when an article is positioned therebetween, but when the article is removed, the arms close together to complete an electrical circuit and sound an alarm. The patent to Ferris is of interest since it relates to a display rack having plates or levers 5 on which the articles being displayed are adapted to be positioned. When an article is removed, the plate or lever 5 is free to move upwardly in order to complete a circuit which in turn activates an alarm. Other patents thought to be of general interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,208,007; 1,546,509; 2,708,747; 3,668,681; 3,725,893; and 3,972,039. The above listing and discussion of previous patents where believed appropriate constitutes applicant's Prior Art Disclosure and in accordance therewith a copy of each of such patents is enclosed with this application.
Notwithstanding the structures disclosed in such patents, there still exists a need for a display case which provides the above indicated attributes but which avoids the above discussed prior art shortcomings. The present invention provides such a display device and includes a frame having a plurality of horizontally extending article supports in spaced generally parallel overlying relation to each other and a slide mounted on such frame and having horizontally extending flange means adapted to overlie each of said article supports so that in a normal closed or lower position of the slide, the space between the article supports and flanges is not adequate for removing the article. However, such space may be easily increased to provide for such removal by upward movement of the slide relative to the frame. In addition, alarm means are provided on the frame which means are automatically activated responsive to upward movement of the slide so that unauthorized movement of the slide from the closed to open position may be immediately signalled.
It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a device of the above indicated type wherein jewelry articles mounted on cards or the like are supported in a normally secure but removable manner but wherein unauthorized removal automatically activates an alarm.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a display case of the immediately aforementioned type wherein jewelry articles, such as earrings, are mounted on cards having generally U-shaped rearwardly extending support flanges in turn adapted to be supported from a plurality of rods horizontally extending across a frame, and wherein a plurality of flanges are further adapted to overlie such rods in a manner that normally prevents the cards from being withdrawn therefrom, and wherein the flanges may be moved to a second open position permitting such card withdrawal, said movement automatically activating an alarm, thereby preventing surreptitious removal of articles from the display.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.